If at first you fail, try and try again. This is probably the motto Dean Smith is currently preaching at Aston Villa as they struggle to finally seal the deal for Emiliano Martinez.
Arsenal have already rejected two offers from the Villains, the last one said to be within the £15m mark, and are adamant on holding out for their initial £20m evaluation of the goalie.
Of course, the Argentine shot-stopper is looking for regular minutes ahead of the 2020/21 Premier League season so he is keen to move on from the Emirates. However, Mikel Arteta won't just part ways with him for any price whatsoever.
According to the latest report from the Daily Mail, Aston Villa are preparing their third attempt to finally snatch the goalkeeper up and bring him to the club. But one thing is for sure, that bid will simply have to be at least much closer to Arsenal's asking price if they are to be more successful this time around.
Martinez has already rejected a contract renewal with the London side so there is certainly hope for Villa that he will indeed leave for greener pastures in the immediate future.
Smith wants to add more depth to his defence and the 28-year-old could indeed be the answer to his prayers. The only thing in the way is money and it remains to be seen whether the Villains have the financial power to get the deal over the line.
Only time will tell.
Verdict
Since Martinez is looking for steady football and Villa need a new goalie, this does seem like the perfect match on paper. Of course, the Villains' goalkeepers have been a sore spot for the team for a while now and the Argentine could help fix that for the upcoming campaign.
Nothing is set in stone just yet, however, and there's still a lot of work left before they can celebrate a new signing.